About Us

Sustainability and Green Policy

Clean, green awareness - it just makes sense.

Ascot Park Hotel is a large, popular venue with a vast array of hotel accommodation, facilities and services. But with size comes a big responsibility to minimise the hotel’s impact on the natural resources which sustain us. Southland is a special corner of New Zealand with stunning natural landscapes and unique wildlife and birdlife offer visitors a peek of untouched paradise. Ascot Park Hotel, Invercargill wants to keep it that way.

Green Policy

Help us minimise our environmental footprint by reading our Green Policy and following our lead.

Award Winning Sustainability Champions

Celebrate our award winning success as ‘sustainability champions’. We are now one of the top 100 Qualmark Green Tourism businesses, winning an Enviro-Gold Award.

Chemical Free Cleaning

After extensive scientific testing by independent assessors proving the efficacy of microfiber cloths over traditional cleaning chemicals on site at the hotel, Ascot Park Hotel housekeeping staff have traded their environmentally damaging chemical cleaners for microfiber cloths as cleaning agents.

In 2012 Ascot Park Hotel was awarded with the Environment Southland/Department of Conservation Award for Outstanding New Conservation Initiative for our ongoing support with the historical restoration project on Dog Island (Motu Piu).

In September 2013 Ascot Park Hotel was awarded the Hospitality New Zealand Award for Excellence in Environmental, Sustainable and Ethical Practice for our continued efforts in the field of sustainability.

The Management team acknowledges that without the fantastic staff at the Ascot Park Hotel, we could not deliver the service standards we pride ourselves on.

Bryan Townley

Executive Manager

After joining the team in November 2014, Bryan brings 28 years of experience working across various hospitality sectors, including eight years in Australia. Having previously managed four of the Invercargill Licensing Trust properties, Bryan now takes over management of the "Flag Ship".

Bryan is known for his hands-on attitude and drive to ensure all guests are well looked after by the dedicated team.

Cheryl Melrose

Front Office Manager

With 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Cheryl's key role is overseeing the accommodation at Ascot Park Hotel.

With Cheryl’s attention to detail you can be ensured that all your accommodation needs are met.

Greg Jenks

Sous Chef

Southland born and bred, Greg has 18 years’ experience in the kitchen, working all over NZ and Australia. Everything from pubs to 5 star hotels, Greg enjoys making the ‘classics’ and adding his own new twist. He has now come back home to show and teach all he has learnt from his work experiences.

Maddelin Walster

Assistant Tavern Manager

Lynese Boyes

Room Attendant Manager

Joining the Ascot Park Hotel team in 2010, Lynese brings a whopping 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry to our rooms division.

Lynese was the driving force behind the implementation of the chemical free cleaning policy in our guest rooms, ensuring your accommodation is always presented in the cleanest and most comfortable of condition.

Megan Taylor

Outcatering Manager

History

Ascot Park Hotel covers an expansive 17 acres and has been an icon of Invercargill for over 30 years.

The goal for the site was to provide a tasteful, modern, internationally classed hotel and conference centre for Invercargill city. The plans to build a single floor, fully contained complex were released in 1972.

The vision for site was to build motel units along with a full hotel complex on landscaped grounds that provided privacy and noise reduction for the site and the guests.

In a bold move by the Invercargill Licensing Trust the Hotel was built in stages, utilizing permanent and temporary facilities in order to gain revenue from the complex even while it was being completed.

Work officially began in 1976 on the motels units. In December 1976 the 23 motel rooms had been completed and work began on temporary facilities that would be used while the permanent structure of the hotel was being completed. A year later in December of 1977 Ascot Park Hotel was opened, with 23 motel units and temporary facilities providing accommodation and dining to guests.

From 1978 to 1980 the hotel took shape as permanent dining and kitchen facilities, conference rooms, accommodation wings and main foyer were completed. The last facility added to the hotel before its opening was the pool area and on the 16th of February 1980 Ascot Park Hotel was officially opened by Prime Minister Robert Muldoon.

Upon completion the 'Y' shaped complex had 81 guest rooms and conference facilities able to cater for 600+. It instantly became the crown jewel of the Invercargill Licensing Trust.

Since its completion in 1980 the hotel has seen the addition of extra conference rooms, upgrading of facilities and interior refurbishment. Two new accommodation wings have also been added to the complex, the Henderson wing in 1995 and the Harrington wing in 2010.

Tesla Destination Charging Station

Wherever
your journey takes you, there is a large and growing network of accessible
locations to keep your Tesla electric vehicle charged. Ascot Park Hotel is pleased to be able to
offer our guests use of a Tesla Destination charging center!